1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet detection apparatus and an image forming apparatus including the sheet detection apparatus.
2. Related Art
As a conventional sheet detection apparatus that detects a sheet, an actuator-type sheet detection apparatus is often used. In this sheet detection apparatus, for example, a contacted portion of an actuator unit is caused to protrude into a detection area for detecting a sheet, and due to the contacted portion making contact with the sheet to be detected, the actuator unit rotates around a rotational axis and thus detects the sheet.
With this sheet detection apparatus, in an ordinary state, because the actuator unit is protruding into the detection area, the actuator unit protruding into the detection area is a nuisance, and for example, when installing or removing a member provided near the actuator unit, if installation or removal work is not carefully performed, the actuator unit becomes detached or the like, so workability for installing or removing a member provided near the actuator unit worsens.
For example, JP 2006-290540A proposes an image forming apparatus in which a first detection member supported so as to be capable of moving to follow the accumulated amount of sheets that have been discharged onto a tray where sheets discharged from the image forming apparatus are placed, a second detection member that contacts part of the tray when the tray has been installed in an apparatus main body and is supported so as to be capable of moving according to installation/removal of the tray to/from the apparatus main body, and a detection means configured to be capable of detecting these detection members, are provided in the apparatus main body.
With this image forming apparatus, due to providing the detection members and the detection means in the apparatus main body, in an ordinary state, the first detection member protrudes into the detection area (further to the outside than an outer cover), so there is the problem that installation/removal of a member (for example, an outer member such as an outer cover) provided near the actuator unit is troublesome.
With regard to this point, when a sheet detection apparatus is provided on the side of a member provided near the actuator unit, it is possible to improve workability for installation/removal.
For example, in an image forming apparatus, when a configuration is adopted in which a sheet tray is provided where sheets to be processed by the image forming apparatus (specifically, recording sheets used for image forming, or original sheets used for original reading by an original reading apparatus) are placed, and sheets that have been placed in the sheet tray are detected by the sheet detection apparatus, when the sheet detection apparatus is provided on the side of the sheet tray, it is possible to simplify work of installation/removal such as exchanging the sheet tray or attaching optional sheet tray.
However, when the sheet detection apparatus is provided on the side of the sheet tray, when installing/removing the sheet tray, it is necessary to attach/remove a connector of a connection cable in the sheet detection apparatus to/from a connector on the side of the main body of the image forming apparatus, and this complicates the work of installing/removing the sheet tray.